Why You Should Never Drink Out of Glasses in Hotel Rooms

Traveling can take a toll on your body — especially when you fly. Hello, instant dehydration. But even if you wake up in the middle of the night after a long flight with cracked lips, a dry tongue, and a totally parched mouth, don't grab the glass next to the sink for a sip. Studies have found that too often housekeepers simply rinse these glasses when cleaning, instead of actually washing them. Yikes!

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In one ABC News investigation that analyzed 15 different hotels across the country, 11 failed to take dirty glasses out of the room to clean and sanitize them before new guests arrived. Even worse: One Cincinnati housekeeper was caught dousing the dirty glasses with a bottle of Lysol mildew remover as her means of "cleaning" these vessels — that's definitely not part of a balanced diet.

But if your hotel room boasts those plastic cups wrapped in plastic, then you're in the clear. Whew. Our advice? Inspect the bathroom situation before settling in. That way, you can grab a bottle of water from the vending machine before turning the lights off and prevent a bad middle-of-the-night situation. Hey, it's better to be safe than sorry.

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